We’ve all heard the saying, “milk, it does a body good,” but it’s not just milk that fits into the dairy group. Cheese, yogurt and milk-based desserts, such as pudding, frozen yogurt and ice cream, also count as dairy. But even though dairy is good for most people, you should choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products most of the time and eat desserts only in moderation.

Below is the daily recommended amount of dairy per age.

Children

2-3 years old

2 cups

Adults

19-30 years old

3 cups

4-8 years old

2 ½ cups

31-50 years old

3 cups

9-13 years old

3 cups

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51+ years old

3 cups

14-18 years old

3 cups

What counts as 1 cup of dairy?

1 cup (8 ounces) of milk or calcium fortified soymilk

8 ounce container of yogurt/1 cup yogurt

1 ½ ounces of hard cheese- cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Parmesan

2 ounces of processed cheese- American

½ cup ricotta cheese

2 cups cottage cheese

1 cup of pudding made with milk

1 cup of frozen yogurt

1 ½ cups of ice-cream

Building Strong Bones

Dairy foods are a good source of calcium, which is needed to maintain bone health. The peak bone building years are 9-18, so it is very important that children consume the appropriate amount of calcium each day.

Those who consume dairy regularly have stronger bones and better overall nutrition.

If your child can’t drink milk due to lactose intolerance or an allergy to the protein in milk, use fortified rice, almond, coconut or soy milk as substitutes. Lactose-free alternatives to yogurt (coconut yogurt) and cheese (soy cheese) are also available, so no need to count those out.

If you do not consume any dairy products, make sure to include other good sources of calcium, such as white beans, black-eyed peas, canned salmon, sardines, dried figs, Bok Choy, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, sesame seeds and oranges.

Many foods and beverages are fortified with calcium as well.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is a nutritious and popular dairy product. It is strained extensively to remove much of the liquid whey, lactose and sugar, giving it a consistency different than regular yogurt. Greek yogurt is creamier, thicker and richer, so it might take some getting used to. For the same amount of calories, Greek yogurt can provide twice the amount of protein (15-20 grams) as regular yogurt and half the sodium and sugar.

Be sure to read the labels, because some varieties are sweetened with fruit and other ingredients, and stick to consuming the low-fat versions.

You can also try substituting plain Greek yogurt for sour cream, buttermilk or heavy cream to make recipes more nutritious, such as the dip recipe below.